Free admission to national parks on MLK Day

January 14, 2016

National parks throughout the country will commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 18. All national parks will provide free admission for all visitors and many parks will host special events or volunteer service projects.

People take pictures during a dedication ceremony at the Martin Luther King Memorial on the National Mall on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011, in Washington, D.C. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/TNS)

“We invite all Americans to honor the legacy of Dr. King in a national park,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “Attend a special event, take part in a volunteer project, or visit a site with a direct connection to this great leader. We are all encouraged to remember the values of service and commitment to community that Dr. King exemplified throughout his life.

On Jan. 17, 2000, Kristin Gore, Vice President Al Gore, Coretta Scott King and Dexter King walk to the crypt of Martin Luther King, Jr. for a wreath-laying ceremony at the Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta. (JOHN SPINK/ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION/TNS)

Let’s make this holiday truly a day on, not a day off.”

Monday is the first of 16 days in 2016 that the parks will offer free admission to everyone.

Special sites
There are several national parks directly associated with King. They are:•Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Georgia, which contains his birthplace, home, church, and grave.•The 45-mile long Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama, where he led the 1965 Voting Rights March.•National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C., which include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, where he spoke of his dream for America.

Parks across the country are offering special programs to reflect on the life and legacy of King.

Many parks also will host volunteer work projects.

The additional entrance fee-free days for 2016 will be April 16 through 24, Aug. 25-28, Sept. 24 and Nov. 11.

Visit www.nps.gov/findapark/mlk-jr-day.htm for more events and detailed information.